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European company JZ Microphones is amongst many manufacturers that offer a modern take on vintage sound. Their Vintage 11 (V11) is said to produce very smooth sounding top end, and in theory, should be very good for voice-over work. But the concept of “modern vintage” still sounds a bit vague and lacking explanation to some. Needless to say, we got our hands on one of these mics to see what it does.
When it comes to striking visual design characteristic of JZ Microphones, the V11 is no exception.
This thing looks like it belongs in the interior of an expensive luxury car, perhaps as an ashtray or a compartment for your diamond encrusted smartphone.
A modern take on a vintage sound
The V11 is a high-performance cardioid condenser microphone with a one-inch gold sputtered capsule (JZ Microphones patented GDC capsule making technology).
JZ Microphones claims that while the microphone is quite versatile it works best on acoustic guitar, vocals, and wind instruments. The frequency graph of V11 shows a noticeable bump in the lower end and suggests it is designed to deliver smooth, rich, and warm sounds.
The V11 has a large diaphragm 27 mm (1,06") capsule, extra low self-noise level (6,5 dB (A)) maximum sound pressure level (SPL) of 134,5 dB, class-A discrete electronics, and gold-plated output contacts. It comes with an external specially designed shock-mount and, just like all other mics that JZ Microphones produces, is handcrafted.
Noticeably above the similarly priced competition
Opinions about microphones are subjective, but it has to be mentioned that V11 has caught the attention of award-winning producer Rafa Sardina (Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder).
Sardina has repeatedly stated that he loves many JZ Microphones products and judging from the interviews, the V11 is one of his favorites.
We tested it on both male and female singers, trying out a number of singing styles and settings.6
Other “Vintage” series mics (V47, V67) are supposedly made to bring back the sound of all time classics but with the V11 (11 stands for 2011 – the year in which the mic was launched) the company’s founder and designer Juris Zarins hoped to create a microphone that would give you a vintage vibe, but with quite a bit of modern mic-making tradition present in design and during production.
The sound, however, shows why JZ Microphones is confident enough to call it the “next classic” on more than one occasion.
It proved to be a true gem when it came to spoken word performances. This microphone doesn’t look the part, but it is indeed an excellent tool for radio and performs exceptionally well as a voiceover microphone. Minimal to no EQ intervention is needed, in my opinion.
When it comes to singing, it is quite warm yet does not lose clarity. Also, if the bass lift is not welcome at all, you can deal with it easily. The built-in shock-mount is very simple, easy to use, and actually works.
The V11’s price tag makes it fair to compare it to all other work-horses that are used for spoken word and broadcasting, and the V11 stands out with a more refined, classy sound.
You can just feel that it wasn’t designed as a budget microphone meant to overwhelm the market. They’ve obviously put serious thought into it. I can’t find any problems with construction or sound.
I’m going to guess that the reason for this is that the company mainly produces expensive “premium” class microphones and hasn’t really optimized the V11’s production to fit the mid-range price tag. I am pretty sure that most if not all of the high-grade components they use for their most expensive mics are in the V11 as well.
After all, are there many other mid-priced microphones that have impressed the likes of Rafa Sardina?
In conclusion
All in all, what strikes me is the big picture. From what’s written in brochures, the big claims and peculiar marketing strategy might make some buyers confused.
I’m still not sure why the whole “modern yet vintage” concept was chosen. In reality, it is simply a very good, very well built, warm-sounding studio microphone with an attractive price tag (and from what I can see, they have generous discounts very often).
Someone who is operating on a budget looking for that hi-end studio sound should consider the V11. Accomplished pros have no reason to shy away from it, too.
Granted, it is not made to compete with and function like more expensive studio classics, but it is so much more (I can’t stress this enough) than the price tag suggests.
Find out more about JZ Microphones products.

In a world full of manufacturers who offer various dynamic microphone models, a handful of proven classics rule the market. Many will agree that the design of this type of instrument has been pretty much perfected and completed over the years, so is it worth paying attention to similar products that still pop up from time to time? We chose one recent entry that has made quite a big name for itself, the JZ Microphones’ HH1, and tested it to see whether it really is an improvement of age-old microphone technology.
The HH1 is a handheld dynamic microphone made by a European company called JZ Microphones. It’s their first product to feature a dynamic capsule.
They claim it is “developed in best traditions of JZ Microphones” and provides users with “extended frequency range to suit most vocal and instrumental needs.”
Neodymium magnet equipped cardioid capsule is housed in a handcrafted metal body with a special shock-mounting technology. It comes with a rather elegant pouch and a microphone clamp.
Lighter and brighter
That’s the thing with JZ Microphones: it seems that everything they make has some unique visual twist.
As you can see, the same goes for the HH1. One has to admit that the microphone looks awesome: matte black coloring, a fancy logo, and diamond-shaped flat-fronted grille.
It is the size of a typical dynamic (58 x 172 mm), has an XLR-3 connector, and an extended frequency response (50 Hz – 18 kHz). Weighing 280 grams (9.8oz), it is a bit lighter than the SM58.
The frequency graph that comes along with the microphone shows a noticeable peak at 5 kHz and shelving-down right before 200Hz, meaning that it’s lighter and brighter than most standard dynamics.
The simple geniality of a flat grille
JZ Microphones says that the HH1 is a perfect fit for vocals, drums, and guitar amps. We tested it in various scenarios for all three applications.
We started by trying it on both male and female vocals, and were impressed instantly. It turns out this mic needs little to no EQ.
Gone were our fears that the HH1 would have a cheap brightness you get from low-quality mics. Instead, it had great clarity on male as well as female vocals.
The HH1’s flat grille has to be mentioned here as well. It keeps the sound source on-axis while avoiding tone and level variations.
It was the same story when it came to the acoustic guitar, which produced just the right amount of brightness even at close distances. The flat grille also made for easy, spot-on guitar amp miking (obviously). It was a good fit for a snare drum as well, providing much-needed definition.
Among all the pros, the only con I could think of would be a mild self-noise (the HH1 has a pretty strong output). To be frank, it is not even close to being a real problem (at least for us, in our setting it wasn’t) but it is a bit more noticeable than that of other classics.
HH1 – a dynamic with distinct studio mic pedigree
In conclusion, the HH1 easily fits among the best sounding industry standard dynamic mics.
It has its own sound but isn’t a black sheep or avant-garde in any way, and if the market for dynamic microphones wasn’t so oversaturated, this little piece of technology would make the competition worried.
It is hard to be completely blown away by yet another dynamic because there are so many to choose from. However, there’s no denying that with the HH1, JZ Microphones has managed to raise the bar for sound and design.
It is very apparent that this dynamic mic was made by people who mainly specialize in high-quality studio microphones. It is elegant yet very well built and should withstand the punishment of live performances.
If you’re ready to try something new, don’t hesitate and get one of these. This can be an excellent choice for rehearsal studios, live performances, demo making, and bedroom studio projects.
Find out more about JZ Microphones products.

For about ten years, a European company called JZ Microphones has made its flagship Black Hole 2 (BH2) studio microphone, supposedly a versatile, visually stunning, and beautifully sounding mic that “easily finds its place among celebrated all-time classics”. It seems that up until now critics have showered this piece of technology with one favorable review after another (to the point where it almost gets a bit ridiculous), so we thought we’d give it a try and see if it really deserves such generosity.
The looks
JZ Microphones present their BH2 as a “premium”, “high-end” studio microphone, but I’m sure most of you will agree that it does not really look the part. First of all, there’s a hole in the middle. The microphone seems to be rather small and thin, and it doesn’t look like it will fit in a standard spider shock-mount.
It leaves you with quite a few questions when you unpack it for the first time, but let’s take a look at some important facts in the brochure.
The tech
BH2 is a fixed cardioid, large diaphragm 1,06" (27mm) condenser microphone with one large, true electrostatic capsule inside the compact head.
Qualities that make it stand out amongst the rest of the herd are JZ Microphones’ patented capsule making technology, Golden Drop Capsule (GDC). Once this technology is implemented, it gives the microphone extra low self-noise level of 7,5 dB (A), discrete class-A electronics, maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL) of 134,5 dB, and a unique reverberation-canceling shape. It also comes with a specially designed shock-mount and is made by hand.
The sound
When we decided to test the BH2 we came up with quite an obstacle course: we would use it in all sorts of vocal applications with numerous singers and different types of voices.
Upon playing back the very first takes, it became clear how unfair it was to judge this microphone by its looks. The recorded voice sang to us with almost no coloration yet the sound was very flattering (especially for male vocals, as it later became clear) and seemed polished.
BH2 presented itself to us in a very primal way. It was like being approached by a large wild animal: you feel its presence instantly. There was no need to analyze the sound or compare it to something else. It was clear right then and there that this mic should not be disregarded.
It produces very crisp, detailed voice recordings and would probably do an amazing job with rap vocals. It performs very well both close up and from a considerable distance and captures clear recordings of multiple singers at once.
Sure, it gave off U87 and C414 vibes (as often mentioned in reviews), but the amazing part that there’s a very large, dominating chunk of its own personality in there. It delivers the actual sound of whatever it is you’re recording with no apparent noise and features ridiculously low, yet beautiful coloration.
This microphone is made for professionals and should be used in high-class studios.
To a seasoned recording engineer, it will deliver the pristine sound that is expected of such a specialist. To a singer, it will bring out the very best characteristics of your voice. To someone who is not yet ready, it will tell it to you straight and emphasize your shortcomings.
There is no disputing that putting “premium”, “high-end” (or any other fancy English words that the BH2’s European engineers can think of) on to the box of this microphone is completely justified.
Although the unusual shape and origins of this microphone can leave you perplexed at first, it soon becomes clear that back in 2007 when JZ Microphones created the BH2, they came up with a whole new design for technology that recently celebrated its 100th birthday.
Find out more about JZ Microphones products.

Robert Lunte & RØDE Microphones present four weeks of vocal training in Germany, Italy and France. April, 2018. For information click the links below or reach out to the people tagged in this post. See you in April!
TVS Events Page http://bit.ly/TVSEvents
Download The Tour Poster HERE:
http://bit.ly/TVSMCTourSpring2018
14-15 APR
Ansbach, Germany http://bit.ly/TVSMCAnsbachGermany
21-22 APR
Pescara, Italy http://bit.ly/TVSMCPescaraItaly
28-29 APR
Cagliari, Italy http://bit.ly/TVSMCCagliariItaly
1-2 MAY
Nimes, France http://bit.ly/TVSMCNimesFrance
If you have any questions about the event or private lessons, contact me on my personal email or here at TMV World. I look forward to helping you with your singing. You will get results, guaranteed.

The Carbonphone by Placid Audio is a very unique microphone for anyone who is interested in experimenting with sound. Its military grade carbon granule element captures sound and creates a "lofi" sound that is naturally distorted. Creating sounds similar to scratchy vinyl or an old military radio, this microphone is perfect for anyone looking to recreate a more vintage tone or anyone looking to create something new altogether.
Included with the microphone is the Tone Box which provides the current which is needed to power the microphone. While the microphone can be powered by any standard 9 volt power supply, the Tone Box can also shape the sound through a variable five position filter circuit. Each selection on the control knob offers a different frequency response, allowing the Carbonphone to be used on a broad range instruments and for various applications. Because the sound of Carbonphone has a character unlike many other traditional mics, it makes a great addition to any recording enthusiast’s arsenal of microphones. It can be used as an all out obvious ‘effect’ on it’s own or it can be paired with other traditional microphones for infinite blending possibilities. The Carbonphone is a perfect microphone for any person looking to update their studio with new sounds but it is also usable for live performances and with its high durability and great resistance to high pressure sound levels.
FEATURES
Military grade carbon granule capsule
Fully balanced output
Quality Hammond output transformer
Rugged copper housing and components
Powered 5 position variable filter Tone Box
Tone Box doubles as a phantom power source
Tone Box can be used with other microphones
9 volt power supply for Tone Box
High quality Nuetrik 3 pin XLR connectors
Handcrafted in the U.S.A
Lifetime operational warranty
Adjustable aircraft aluminum mounting bracket to fit North American style stands (will fit European style stands with common threaded adapter)
SPECS
Type: Carbon
Polar Pattern: Cardioid
Frequency Response: 100Hz ­- 10kHz
Impedance: 600 ohms
Output: 120 +/­ 2dB SPL @ 1 kHz
Mic Dimensions: 1.75 x 5.5 inches
Tone Box Dimensions: 5.25 x 4.25 x 2.25 inches
Mic Weight: 1 lbs.
Tone Box Weight 0.70 lbs.
*The Modern Vocalist World is brought to you by The Vocalist Studio, course and training for singers.

The Chantelle Microphone by Ear Trumpet Labs is created to be the best live vocal microphone, bringing the clarity and warmth of a large diaphragm capsule to a low-profile body. In addition to a smooth high end with no harsh tones and an upper-midrange emphasis, included is also a full foam pop filter for even greater sound control.With exceptional feedback rejection, the can be used on even the loudest of stages.The microphone comes specifically tuned to handle any stage and still provide excellent feedback rejection.
Chosen by performers in diverse genres, from R&B (Andra Day) to indie folk (Rachel Sermanni) to roots (Dustbowl Revival), Chantelle has a beautiful copper body and distinctive aesthetic that will inspire singers to give their best performance.
Chantelle is an end-address large-diaphragm condenser with a flexible pivoting body, excellent for vocals live, in studio, and in videos. This microphone is perfect for any vocalist wanting a diverse sound with a great amount of control over feedback and tone. With a great design and a very slick aesthetic, this microphone is sure to be a great addition for any singer's arsenal.
FEATURES
Hand-made microphone with unique appearance
Side or end address, using pivoting bracket
Capsule and electronics tuned for close vocal use on the loudest of stages with excellent feedback rejection
Internal shock dampers for minimal handling noise
Integral silk and mesh pop filter, for effective control of plosives without loss of clarity
Transformerless FET fully balanced electronics
Highest quality hand-wired electronic components - film caps, precision resistors, hand tested and matched transistors, with component values tuned for the individual circuit.
TECHNICAL SPECS:
Transducer Type: Condenser, large (26 mm) diaphragm
Polar Pattern: Cardioid
Frequency Response: 20 - 15K hz (-3dB)
Sensitivity: -49dB (4 mV/Pa)
Output Impedance: <50 Ohm
Noise Level(A-weighted): <17 dBA
Power Requirement: +48V phantom power
Weight: 1 lb (4 lbs cased)
Dimensions: 8” x 2” x 2”; head is 2” in diameter
Sku: ETL-CHANTELLE
Hear The Chantelle
*The Modern Vocalist World is brought to you by The Vocalist Studio, course and training for singers.

The Copperphone by Placid Audio is a vintage character effect microphone. Unlike full range high fidelity microphones, it operates within a limited bandwidth of frequencies which imparts a compelling nostalgic quality on the signal.
Some might compare the sound to an AM radio or an old telephone... The sound is achieved through a combination of the microphone’s element and a mechanical filtering device. The element is rear ported into a hollow resonant chamber and as sound passes through the diaphragm into the chamber, upper midrange frequencies are accentuated while low and high frequencies are reduced.
The Copperphone can be used as a stand-alone mic on vocals or any other instrument to create an all-out, attention-grabbing sonic effect. Or it can be used in conjunction with a more traditional mic and the resulting signals can be blended together for subtle character and midrange enhancement.
Sound samples of the Copperphone on vocals and various instruments can be heard here: https://www.placidaudio.com/products/copperphone/
The critically acclaimed Copperphone is the worlds most popular vintage effect microphone and used by hundreds of professionals and vocalists around the world. Here are just a few notable users:
Norah Jones (Norah Jones)
Sam Smith (Sam Smith, 2014 Grammy Winner)
Annie Clark (St. Vincent, 2015 Grammy Winner)
Sean Lennon (Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, Cibo Matto)
Beck (Beck)
Jack White (Raconteurs, The White Stripes)
Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys)
Tom Petty (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
Geddy Lee (Rush)

The Copperphone by Placid Audio is a vintage character effect microphone. Unlike full range high fidelity microphones, it operates within a limited bandwidth of frequencies which imparts a compelling nostalgic quality on the signal.
Some might compare the sound to an AM radio or an old telephone... The sound is achieved through a combination of the microphone’s element and a mechanical filtering device. The element is rear ported into a hollow resonant chamber and as sound passes through the diaphragm into the chamber, upper midrange frequencies are accentuated while low and high frequencies are reduced.
The Copperphone can be used as a stand-alone mic on vocals or any other instrument to create an all-out, attention-grabbing sonic effect. Or it can be used in conjunction with a more traditional mic and the resulting signals can be blended together for subtle character and midrange enhancement.
Sound samples of the Copperphone on vocals and various instruments can be heard here: https://www.placidaudio.com/products/copperphone/
The critically acclaimed Copperphone is the worlds most popular vintage effect microphone and used by hundreds of professionals and vocalists around the world. Here are just a few notable users:
Norah Jones (Norah Jones)
Sam Smith (Sam Smith, 2014 Grammy Winner)
Annie Clark (St. Vincent, 2015 Grammy Winner)
Sean Lennon (Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, Cibo Matto)
Beck (Beck)
Jack White (Raconteurs, The White Stripes)
Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys)
Tom Petty (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
Geddy Lee (Rush)

Sometimes great songs come quickly in a burst of inspiration. This is the story of my student Michael Murray who had a songwriting experience like that. Be sure to enjoy his performance video titled, "3000 Miles of Room".
Special thanks to Ear Trumpet Labs Microphones for giving us the opportunity to record with their gorgeous "Chantelle" microphone. Check out these incredibly unique, handbuilt microphones from Portland, OR.
http://www.eartrumpetlabs.com/
Michael has been a TVS student for about 2 years. He came into his lesson one week before this video was created and said, "I wrote a new song last night". When I heard the song I was blown away. This song has magic and it truly is great. I insisted that he come back immediately and record the song in our studio. Enjoy!

MAESTRO DAVID KYLE
THE WINDOW OF FAME
Vocal teacher for all styles for over 50 years, David Kyle, The “Maestro” became a local Seattle icon and was considered by the industry to be one of the best vocal instructors for contemporary singers in the world. Unique to the “Maestro’s” approach was his method for expanding vocal range into multiple “registers”, or what we would refer to today at TVS as, "Bridging & Connecting". Maestro was also keen on eliminating psychological barriers that hinder singers’ freedom of expression, by use of creative visualization techniques and development of healthy auditory imagery for singing. Use of amplification and embracing technology was also an important part of the “David Kyle” training experience that carries over to TVS training with Robert Lunte as well. In addition to these details, Robert Lunte's vocal training program, The Four Pillars of Singing, found at this web site, offers 10 of Maestro Kyle's vocal workouts. Another 22 original vocal workouts developed by Robert Lunte are added to The Four Pillars of Singing training program with slow and fast versions of every workout to accommodate different student's levels of experience. All together, The Four Pillars of Singing offers a total of 32 vocal workouts with 64 different options to explore and train your voice.
One day, Nate Burch, one of Robert Lunte's students from Seattle, came to the lesson with an old coffee stained piece of paper that had a hand written, transcribed lecture from Maestro Kyle on it. An excerpt from that lecture is shared below as well as popular quotes that Maestro Kyle used to use with all his students.
The complete lecture is provided inside The Four Pillars of Singing Hard Copy Book and training system as part of the tribute to Maestro Kyle that Robert Lunte added to The Four Pillars of Singing.
Maestro David Kyle & Robert Lunte - The Vocalist Studio
MAESTRO DAVID P. KYLE
LECTURE:
Those sounds which seem to ring the most are usually the best. Those which seem the roundest are usually the best. Those which seem to resonate are usually the best. Those which seem to echo are usually the best. So listen out into the theater and see if they are echoing, and if they are round, and they are resonant. Connect your notes and don’t be afraid. There are two kinds of stars. There are “stars” and there are “superstars.” The star no matter how he tries he just can’t seem to become a superstar. He’s great, great, great, great, but along comes a Caruso, or a Lanza, or a Gigli, and he can’t quite get over the hurdle. It’s because of one simple thing. The star sings, and when he’s singing he listens to himself; and while he’s listening he shapes it; and he opinionates it; and he shapes it around. If it isn’t round enough he rounds it more. And that sounds logical doesn’t it? It’s wrong! The superstar pictures the sound and knows what he wants to hear before he makes it! Singing is more the concept than anything. If we’ve got the right idea, then the muscles as they train more and more they become like a reflex and the reflexes respond to the image. Even if you’re trained beautifully and your image is a fear that you haven’t got high notes and it’ll never get there the reflexes won’t respond no matter how well trained you are. The epitome of it is you can say singing is absolutely mental. In the process of getting to realize that you have to take a lot of physical steps before you begin to see it, but it is true! The singer has to be in the consciousness and the mood. How does one establish a consciousness and a mood? You tend to become as you act. So if you pretend and try to get your feelings to act as you think they would act if you were doing it, then you’re getting in the consciousness. But if our consciousness is only on body and physical things then our mind is...
The rest of the lecture offers another 5 pages of incredible insights about how the mind controls the singing voice. Read the entire lecture in The Four Pillars of Singing hard copy book, eBook & course work at this web site.
Maestro David Kyle - The Vocalist Studio
The Four Pillars of Singing
With 12 of the Key Vocal Workouts
Maestro David Kyle taught!
Maestro David Kyle Quotes
“Good singers sing and listen, Great singers listen, then sing”
“Good speech is half sung, but good singing is not half spoken.”
“Wear the world like a loose garment. Don’t let it tighten in on you.”
“Suppose you were learning to drive a car. Would it be better to learn on a road with no obstructions?”
“Every negation is a blessing in disguise.”
“The art of the art is the art that conceals the art.”
“He who would know aught of art must first learn and then take his ease.”
“When you open up you should be able to see light from both ends.”
“Feel like you are singing with your whole body.”
“Your reflexes respond to your image.”
“The reflexes respond to the imagination.”
“Listen away from yourself.”
“Sing on the balls of your feet, like the American Indian.”
“Burn Bridges and don’t look back.”
“Listen away from yourself, right out into the auditorium.”
“Singing is both a science and an art. All art is all imagination and you cannot fix that.”
“You have to believe you will receive before you receive and then you will get it.”
“Visualize you are already what you want to be. Act as if you are that, and you will become it.”
“If you always notice what you are while trying to get there, you’ll never get there.”
“Start as if the sound begins before the breath.”
“The end is in the beginning, and the beginning is in the end.”
“It’s not a game I’m playing! If you think that you’re short changing yourself.”
“People don’t get tired of their work; they get tired of the resistance to their work.”
“Forever diet the voice. Diet the voice; diet the mind; diet the spirit; diet everything but your income!”
“Feel like your whole self is all a part of the sound, like the full violin is just vibrating.”
“Imagine the sound you want, picture the sound you want.”
“Open up the entire body and see the light through both ends!”
“Breath, pause, release the jaw, visualize the sound you want, and sing to the back of (Carnegie Hall).”
“We don’t let attitudes control us, we control them!”
“Only babies are victims of moods!”
“Let the sound flow right over the roof of the mouth into the masque.”
“Bowels up, vowels forward.”
“Some day you’re going to stand up and say, ‘This is me’ and go!”
“We tend to become as we act.”
“Attitude is everything in everything.”
“Every time you find your thinking going to the strain or the resistance, immediately create mentally the sound that you want, hear what you want.”
“And remember you have a beautiful voice. At your worst you sound better than many of them at their best!”
“Just don’t sound like everyone else!”
“And tell it your singing marvelous, you’re singing wonderfully!”
“Sing Away from yourself, to something.”
“Listen, then sing!”
“Way to go Baby!”
Maestro David Kyle passed on
Saturday, November 27th of 2004
OTHER VOICE COACHES OF ROBERT LUNTE...

Singingsuccess.com paid Google for advertising that rips off The Vocalist Studio's customers and product, by paying for a high ranking advertisement of "The Pillars of Singing" (no "four") , ... a forged name of the real product, and then redirected TVS web traffic to their web site.
Pretty greedy & cowardly guys... Do you actually lack that much confidence in your own product and brand, that you feel the need to trick customers, by creating a forgery, for the purpose of stealing web traffic from your competitors? Apparently so...

HERE IS AN EMAIL THAT WAS DISCOVERED WHERE ROBERT LUNTE, FOUNDER OF THE VOCALIST STUDIO, ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT KTVA VS TVS TECHNIQUES.
HERE IS AN EMAIL THAT WAS DISCOVERED WHERE ROBERT LUNTE, FOUNDER OF THE VOCALIST STUDIO, ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT KTVA VS TVS TECHNIQUES.
Hey Rob,
So I noticed that there is a difference in definitions between TVS and Ken Tamplin's program.
Ken Tamplin refers to head voice as a mode; basically a strong reinforced falsetto.
WELL, ... IN REGARDS TO THE TRUE DEFINITION OF VOCAL MODES, THAT IS NOT A DEFINITION THAT IS AS ACCURATE AS IT NEEDS TO BE. IF WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT MODES, IT IS BEST TO REFER TO THE ORIGINATORS OF PHYSICAL MODES, THE ESTILLIANS… WHICH IS MORE OR LESS WHAT THE TVS PHYSICAL MODES ARE INSPIRED BY. FALSETTO IS A PHYSICAL MODE, HEAD VOICE IS NOTHING MORE THEN A METAPHOR FOR THE UPPER REGISTER… HEAD VOICE ACTUALLY DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING, IF YOU WANT TO BE STRICT ABOUT IT. IT IS A “PICTURE WORD” TO REFER TO THE UPPER VOICE SENSATION WE ALL HAVE… TO CALL IT A VOCAL MODE, IS TO CLAIM THAT IT IS A PHYSICAL AND TANGIBLE THING, WHICH IT ISN’T.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ‘REINFORCED FALSETTO’. THERE IS ONLY A PHYSICAL MODE CALLED FALSETTO AND IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY A WINDY, OPEN GLOTTIS THAT ESCAPES RESPIRATION. IF THE PHONATION DOES NOT HAVE WIND, IT IS NOT FALSETTO. IF YOU “REINFORCE” A PHONATION ON A HIGH NOTE ABOVE THE BRIDGE, IT IS MORE ACCURATELY GOING TO BE VOCAL TWANG… WHICH IS ANOTHER PHYSICAL MODE.
In TVS falsetto is a mode, but the head voice is just what you call notes that resonate from the head, in whatever mode you are singing.
WELL DONE, THAT IS MORE OR LESS CORRECT. HOWEVER, NOTE THAT THIS DEFINITION OF MODES IS NOT JUST THE WAY TVS SEES IT. IT IS ALSO THE WAY ESTILLIANS AND CVI SEES IT. ESTILL ARE THE ORIGINATORS OF VOCAL MODES, SO PEOPLE THAT CARE TO BE ACCURATE ABOUT VOCAL MODES, TEND TO FOLLOW THEIR ORIGINAL FOUNDATION ON THE TOPIC, WHICH TVS PHYSICAL MODES DO.
I prefer the TVS definition. However, I think that makes the whole bridging late vs bridging early debate between the two systems inconsistent.
IS THERE A DEBATE? ... OH YA, KTVA WOULD LIKE CONSUMERS TO BELIEVE THERE IS… THERE IS NO DEBATE. TVS HAS BOTH BOTTOM UP AND TOP DOWN TECHNIQUES. THIS IS A TIRED, OLD IDEA THAT STARTED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO THAT HAS BEEN PROPAGATED TO CREATE CONFUSION IN THE MARKET ABOUT WHAT TVS STANDS FOR... KTVA HAS GOT A LOT OF MILEAGE OUT OF PROPAGATING THIS MISINFORMATION. IT IS COMPLETELY STUPID AND I HAVE CREATED NO LESS THEN FOUR VIDEOS TO COMBAT THE CONFUSION.
Ken's criticism of what he calls late bridging seems more apt to describing some classical voice teachers who teach bridging to a falsetto mode instead of a twang mode, or metal screamers who rely on a distorted reinforced falsetto. His criticism being that early bridging over time breaks down the "mid voice," of which he doesn't define.
HE TALKS A GOOD GAME AND CERTAINLY SINGS A GOOD GAME… BUT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, IN MY OPINION AND FROM FEEDBACK FROM HIS CUSTOMERS, HE DOESN’T ALWAYS DEFINE OR EXPLAIN A GOOD GAME.
IN REGARDS TO EARLY BRIDGING AND VOCAL ATROPHY… ON THIS POINT, I AGREE WITH KEN. THE LACK OF BOTTOM UP TRAINING WILL RESULT IN WEAK TA MUSCLE STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE. BOTTOM TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL TO BELTING, BUT ALSO JUST TO BASIC VOCAL HEALTH. THIS IS WHY THE NEW 4PILLARS SYSTEM HAS AN EXTENSIVE BOTTOM-UP AND BELT TRAINING EXPLANATIONS AND ROUTINES.
With the TVS definition, I'd say I mostly bridge early. But it's not such a big difference it seems. I can still bring a bigger boomier sound up higher, but from learning early bridging techniques, I'm not stuck to an overly heavy phonation with constriction. It's dynamic and free.
PRECISELY!!!!!!!!!!! YOU NEED BOTH APPROACHES! DIFFERENT PEOPLE NEED DIFFERENT APPROACHES BASED ON THEIR NEEDS. YOU DESCRIBED THOSE NEEDS NICELY. I TOTALLY AGREE.
KNOW THIS… THE REASON ANY COACH WOULD BE LIGHT ON TOP-DOWN TRAINING TECHNIQUES IS SIMPLY BECAUSE TOP-DOWN TRAINING TECHNIQUES ARE MORE COMPLICATED TO UNDERSTAND AND TEACH. IT IS A LOT EASIER TO TEACH BOTTOM-UP TECHNIQUES. TOP-DOWN TECHNIQUES REQUIRE MORE PRECISION AND MORE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MUSCULATURE AND OTHER DETAILS. "PUSH FROM THE BOTTOM UP ON AN AH VOWEL"... IS A FAR EASIER STORY TO TELL, THEN BUILDING FROM INSIDE THE HEAD VOICE.
I think part of the confusion also stems from the SLS / singing success terms, where the mixed voice is their term for twang, and head voice is defined as a strong falsetto.
WHICH IS AN AWFUL DEFINITION OF TWANG… AND PAINFULLY INCORRECT. AGAIN, IF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE, WOULD BOTHER TO STUDY VOCAL MODES AS I HAVE, THEY WOULD NOT BE TALKING INACCURACIES TO CONSUMERS. SLS AND SS SEEM LIKE THE LEAST INFORMED TEACHERS SOMETIMES. TO BE SURE, THEY ARE NOT TRAINED IN VOCAL MODES AND ARE WAY OF COURSE WHEN IT COMES TO BELTING. VERY FEW PEOPLE WILL EVER BUILD A STRONG TOP REGISTER BELT WITH "SING LIKE YOU SPEAK" TYPE METHODS.
It's kind of silly considering the actually mixed resonance we feel is only from around c4 to E4. Mixed voice is just a bad term.
YEP… THAT IS WHY I KILLED IT IN MY “MIXED VOICE IS DEAD!” VIDEO… IT IS A TERM THAT SOME TEACHERS USE TO KEEP THEIR STUDENTS CONFUSED. THE MORE YOU CAN KEEP YOUR STUDENTS CONFUSED, THE LESS YOU HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR SUBJECT MATTER AND BE ABLE TO REALLY EXPLAIN THINGS AS A TEACHER.
Am I understanding this right?
TOM, I THINK YOU HAVE A LOT OF THIS PRETTY SQUARED AWAY. IT SEEMS THE TVS CONTENT IS HELPING YOU TO SORT THIS ALL OUT, WHICH IS GREAT.
Tom

Grooming Your Voice For Success
By Julie Lyonn Lieberman
It's easy to build vocal habits when you sing a song over and over again. These habits can be useful to free us to focus on performance values; but all too often, we lock in tightness and inferior function, thereby creating a struggle during performance or even hoarseness, a sore throat, and the like. No matter how good you sound, how music business savvy you are, and how hard you've worked on your material and its presentation, if you don't cultivate a ritual around how you care for your voice, you stand to compromise your future and potentially your level of success.
Pro-athletes work with their muscles intelligently. They understand that if they don't warm up, respect the properties of muscle and joint function, and warm down, they may be beleaguered with aches and pains or injuries that thwart the level of success they are able to achieve. Taking responsibility represents potential longevity as well as quality of experience.
Most singers already know that warm-ups are important, but they may not understand why it's essential to vocalize regularly before singing their actual material. Let's use our postural muscles as a metaphor. Let's say you spend 10 hours a day hunched over. The muscles will gradually adapt and freeze you into that posture if you don't stretch and strengthen your body to counterbalance repetitive motion.
Your sound is influenced by a combination of genetics; family and geographic influences on pronunciation/articulation; and the influence of your emotional/psychological gestalt on the use of your vocal anatomy. All of these factors culminate to create habitual muscular response. This, in turn, can embed and strengthen patterns that mobilize the tongue, lips, breath, and what I call the cathedral the interior musculature of the mouth and throat.
Vocal exercises aerobicize, stretch and strengthen these muscle groups so that they remain balanced. Through this process, you can refine and detail mind-to-body response so that each sound you hear, each emotion you experience, and every thought you intend to communicate to your audience is received by this flexible work station and translated into a palette of color and texture.
Here is the ironic twist: we are least conscious of how we sing each time we learn a new song because our attention is focused almost entirely on learning the melody and words. Yet, this is when we tend to sing the song the most in order to learn it. If it's an original piece, this is also when we are also the most emotional because the lyrics are intimately connected to and motivated by current life experiences.
Some singers, when they are imbued with feeling, tighten the throat or body to express emotion as it wells up. Muscularly speaking, the brain can't differentiate between the activity, singing that specific song, and how we are carrying out the activity. The brain takes all of that information, and locks it together into a sensory engram (which I like to call a barcode.) From that moment forward, we tend to perform the song exactly as we rehearsed it.
Here are some simple procedures you can institute to improve your practice habits:
1) Warm up before singing lyrics: Assess your voice each day and choose exercises that stimulate desired response from breath support, lip action, tongue behavior, and the tone you produce. This is detailed on my DVD, Vocal Aerobics: Essentials for Today Singer (see JulieLyonn.com > Vocalist's Corner for details).
2) When learning a new song, sing the melody on the vowel that's most comfortable for you first; then use the actual vowels of the words but without the consonants.
3) To prevent any habitual muscular associations, speak the lyrics to learn them, but use varying accents from around the world or country; become an actor or actress and delivery the lyrics using different personalities, pitch settings, and emotional contexts to avoid inadvertently embedding negative muscular habits.
Examples:
become a British school teacher
become a sea nymph
speak wistfully, then angrily, then lovingly
use your low range and then your high range
vary volume as you speak
vary pitch as you speak
4) Join the lyrics and melody together, singing softly without emotion; then try singing the song in various keys as well as with variations in volume. You can apply the personalities you've rehearsed to the sung version as well.
5) Now sing emotionally. Notice what happens to you physically when you become more expressive. If you discover tension mounting in areas of your body, try varying how you express emotion by using imagery:
I will pour my anger out the bottom of my feet like a pitcher with a leak.
I will inhale and exhale on between each sentence as if I'm filling the sails of a sailboat with my breath and emulate that image when I sing each sentence of the song.
I will sing the song with the opposite emotion the lyrics require (emotion is energy and when we pour anger into a love song, it doesn't necessarily read as anger it can read as heightened passion!)
There is a popular quote, sometimes attributed to Albert Einstein, and other times to Benjamin Franklin or Rita Mae Brown, that goes something like, Insanity is doing the same thing the same way over and over again and expecting different results. The above practice procedures will give you an opportunity to step out of old practice habits and thereby gain new results.
Vocal Aerobics: Essentials for Today's Singers
with Julie Lyonn Lieberman
60-minute instructional DVD distributed by Hal Leonard
World-renowned music educator, Julie Lyonn Lieberman, has created an instructional DVD for singers. Her practice system focuses on cognitive illumination and muscular facility. This system can help develop a vibrating palette that communicates spirit, emotion, and viewpoint all riding effortlessly on the breath. It is supported by science yet connected to individuality. By first guiding the exercises in silence, her intent is to prevent the tension and misuse that often occur when the main impetus for the creation of musical sound is fueled by a brew of yearning and fear mixed with a fixation on the end product.
Topics covered include:
Section I Introduction, Creating a Cathedral, Breath Anatomy
Section II Aerobicizing the Tongue, Mobilizing the Lips
Section III Balancing the non-dominant side of the mouth, Posture, The Power of Imagery, Warming Up and Warming Down, Vocal Health
Ms. Lieberman trusts the innate intelligence of the client by making sure that they understand how and why each region of their vocal anatomy works the way it does. Through extensive experience teaching, she has developed ergonomically based exercises that are fulcrum triggers: they get the job done more efficiently and faster. Lieberman has discovered that when the lights are turned on and the equipment is illuminated, epiphanies abound and can continue to be generated by the singer, long after the teacher leaves the room.
Her in-depth studies while creating her critically acclaimed book You Are Your Instrument, followed by her three spin-off DVDs (The Vocalist's Guide to Fitness, Health and Musicianship, The Instrumentalist's Guide to Fitness, Health and Musicianship, and The Violin in Motion) place a unique spin on this body of work.
Most voice teachers use exercises that are effective in the long run or they would be put out of business, but the older model for mentorship entailed a do as I do and do as I say approach. It was a faith-based relationship; the student was expected to blindly follow the teacherâ€™s directions without specifics, context, or adequate rapport with the musculature required to do the job smoothly and consciously. The belief behind that style of work was that if you repeated each exercise enough times (often while inadvertently thinking about something else), that it would help you sing better. This is the long, slow train to success.
Julie believes that it's time to replace unconscious repetition with less activity, more awareness, and targeted control. She will help you convert the butcher's knife into a laser beam!
About the author
Julie Lyonn Lieberman has specialized in working with creative vocalists in her NYC music studio over the last 3 decades. Her students have included artists such as Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton, Grammy-nominated Putnam Murdock, Indie music award winner Kara Suzanne (best new folk-singer/songwriter album of the year), and critically acclaimed lyricist Julie Flanders, to name a few.
Ms. Lieberman is an improvising violinist/singer, composer, recording artist, journalist, educator, and the author of nine books and six instructional DVDs. A dynamic, participatory workshop leader, her ability to stimulate participants to think and grow in new ways has earned respect for her work throughout the world. In addition to currently teaching improvisation at Juilliard, she has presented for organizations like Music Educators Association, International Association of Jazz Educators, the Juilliard MAP Program, Carnegie/Weill Hall/Juilliard's The Academy,National Young Audiences, and the Carnegie Hall LinkUp.
Lieberman is a J. D'Addario Elite Clinician. Alfred Publishing publishes her scores.
To Order:
This DVD is distributed by Hal Leonard through your local music, book store, and amazon.com for $23.95
or SPECIAL PRICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE MODERN VOCALIST Purchase through Paypal at The Vocalist's Corner on julielyonn.com
or
Send a check to Julie Lyonn Music, P.O. Box 268, Worthington, MA 01098 $21.95 + $5.00 shipping in the U.S.Add $5 outside the U.S.

Vocal Aerobics: Essentials for Today's Singers with Julie Lyonn Lieberman
Running Time and Format: 60-minute instructional DVD
Distributed by: Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53213, 800-637-2852, http://www.halleonard.com /) to bookstores, music stores and schools through the world)
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Description: World-renowned music educator, Julie Lyonn Lieberman, has created an instructional DVD for singers. Her practice system focuses on cognitive illumination and muscular facility. This system can help develop a vibrating palette that communicates spirit, emotion, and viewpoint all riding effortlessly on the breath. It is supported by science yet connected to individuality. By first guiding the exercises in silence, her intent is to prevent the tension and misuse that often occur when the main impetus for the creation of musical sound is fueled by a brew of yearning and fear mixed with a fixation on the end product.
Topics covered include:
Section I Introduction, Creating a Cathedral, Breath Anatomy
Section II Aerobicizing the Tongue, Mobilizing the Lips
Section III Balancing the non-dominant side of the mouth, Posture, The Power of Imagery, Warming Up and Warming Down, Vocal Health
Ms. Lieberman trusts the innate intelligence of the client by making sure that they understand how and why each region of their vocal anatomy works the way it does. Through extensive experience teaching, she has developed ergonomically based exercises that are fulcrum triggers: they get the job done more efficiently and faster. Lieberman has discovered that when the lights are turned on and the equipment is illuminated, epiphanies abound and can continue to be generated by the singer, long after the teacher leaves the room.
In-depth studies while writing her critically acclaimed book. You Are Your Instrument, followed by her three spin-off DVDs (The Vocalist's Guide to Fitness, Health and Musicianship, The Instrumentalist's Guide to Fitness, Health and Musicianship, and The Violin in Motion) place a unique spin on this body of work.
Most voice teachers use exercises that are effective in the long run or they would be put out of business, but the older model for mentorship entailed I do and do as I say approach. It was a faith-based relationship; the student was expected to blindly follow the teacher's directions without specifics, context, or adequate rapport with the musculature required to do the job smoothly and consciously. The belief behind that style of work was that if you repeated each exercise enough times (often while inadvertently thinking about something else), that it would help you sing better. This is the long, slow train to success. Julie believes that it's time to replace unconscious repetition with less activity, more awareness, and targeted control. She will help you convert the butcher's knife into a laser beam!
To Order: see JulieLyonn.com and click on Vocalist's Corner
About the author
Julie Lyonn Lieberman (JulieLyonn.com) has specialized in working with creative vocalists in her NYC music studio over the last 3 decades. Her students have included artists such as Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton, Grammy-nominated Putnam Murdock, Indie music award winner Kara Suzanne (best new folk-singer/songwriter album of the year), and critically acclaimed lyricist Julie Flanders, to name a few.
Ms. Lieberman is an improvising violinist/singer, composer, recording artist, journalist, educator, and the author of nine books and six instructional DVDs. A dynamic, participatory workshop leader, her ability to stimulate participants to think and grow in new ways has earned respect for her work throughout the world. In addition to currently teaching improvisation at Juilliard, she has presented for organizations like Music Educators Association, International Association of Jazz Educators, the Juilliard MAP Program, Carnegie/Weill Hall/Juilliard's The Academy, National Young Audiences, and the Carnegie Hall LinkUp. Lieberman is a J. D'Addario Elite Clinician. Alfred Publishing publishes her scores.

Hi, Everybody.....It's nice to see this new forum even in its early stages having such response as well as the enthusiasm that's being generated.
Already I am seeing posts on Breath Support. Listen up everybody. If you are not all over your kids(students) like I am about Breath Support, it's only going to lead to their downfalls and short-comings in many aspects.
In the past 6 months, I have seen people lose gigs, blow auditions and turn out really sub-par recordings because of lack of breath support. Mainly, bad intonation that was caused by lack of Breath Support was largely the problem. Now I'm not going to sit here and write a long article on my philosophies because I know that ALL of you have your own way of teaching and monitoring your kids' breath support. I'll be sending numerous articles on this topic soon on this site and other forums that I contribute to.
Ironically Breath Support can be abbreviated to BS. But this a not a BULL*#@T story!!! So let's cut the BS and make sure the word gets out on Breath Support.
Breath Support is No BS!!! I can't even begin to tell you how many times a day that I have to yell "SUPPORT!!!!" over the loud music in my voice studio while my kids are singing over their tracks because people don't keep Breath Support consistent from the beginning of each phrase to the END of each phrase. The end of the phrase is when Breath Support is the most crucial for airstream as well as keeping the Voice relaxed.
So now I'm going to tell my kids this "If you want to be a BS singer or BS performer then don't cut the Breath Support." That's total BS. But then again, look at the person who authored this Blog who more than likely has been called a B*#@SH---TER his entire life.(Even when he was a liitle sh-thead).

I was just saying to a student yesterday (I'm a voice teacher)... I have this friend who is in awe of all these great writers, and is fond of saying things like, "I'll never write like Herman Hesse, or Sylvia Plath. They were so great."
And I say, "Yes, they are in your eyes now. But when they were sitting down, writing, they weren't trying to be 'great', or trying to be a 'genius'. They were simply doing what they were driven to do. And I'll bet you they thought what they were doing was crap, and they struggled with doubts just as much as we do."
History is full of a legion of writers and artists, etc., who were unappreciated in the time they lived, but were revered afterwards. In our own lifetime, we have amazing writers whose novels were turned down countless times before finally being published and then topping the bestsellers list.
I'm a firm disbeliever in the old adage that you 'have to be born with it.' My challenge to anyone who says that is... how do you know if you are born with it, if you don't do the work to find out? And you do that work because it lights you up inside to do that thing. Your passion becomes your motivation to work, and to practice, and to become. Not so you can be seen by the external world to be 'great' or a 'genius', but because you can't imagine your life without that thing you do that makes you feel alive. And you want to get good at it, and through that process of growth & healing you become more than you ever thought possible for you.
As you walk your path, struggling with your own doubts and trying to learn what you need to know... you become compassionate about the people who are around you, in front of you, behind you, on the same path... because you realize there is no difference between you and them. Yet each of us is special and unique, and has the potential to achieve almost anything we dream of doing. As we are mentored by our more experienced friends, we pass along our knowledge to those less experienced, and it becomes a chain of support & understanding from our extended family of creative souls. No one is an island.
As long as we are born & remain relatively healthy, and have the capacity to listen and learn, then anything is possible. If we are willing to do the work.
I see this in my own studio all the time. I work with singers who cannot sing. They are 'tonedeaf'. They cannot sing on key. Even if you offered them a million bucks, they couldn't do it. You'd say, very adamantly, they are not born with it at all, that they should give up and go do something else. Come back a year or two later. And you'd say... 'this can't be the same person.' You'd be amazed at the stunning voice coming from that supposedly tonedeaf person who couldn't sing on key to save their life.
As long as you are born with the capacity to learn and perservere, have compassion for yourself & others, and grow your conscious awareness so you can balance strength with humility, you have "it".

Recording plugins are some of the most essential and fun additions for any home recording. The quality and variety of recording plugins available today is simply miraculous. With the right choice of plugins, and a little bit of skill at home recording, an experienced home recording engineer can produce recordings that sound very professional!
Plugins are not just for vocal effects. They are also available to simulate vintage preamps, compressors and even recording consoles like the famed SSL console system. In the world of plugins for digital audio work stations, (DAWs), there is no company that does a better job then waves. Visit www.waves.com and learn more about how you can make your home recordings sound professional!
TOP RECOMMENDED WAVES PLUGINS FOR RECORDING VOCALS!
CLICK HERE TO VISIT WAVES
RECOMMENDED VOCAL PLUGINS AT WAVES:
CLA VOCALS *
JJP VOCALS *
EDDIE KRAMER VOCAL CHANNEL
MASARATI VX1 *
BUTCH VIG VOCALS *
VOCAL RIDER *
HR REVERB
HR ECHO
REAL ADT
APHEX VINTAGE AURAL EXCITER
WAVES TUNE
WAVES TUNE LT
DOUBLER *
DEBREATH
DeEsser
VITAMIN *
RENAISSANCE VOX
THE KING'S MICROPHONES
AND A LOT MORE...!
* Honorable Mentions... essential!
Other Vocal Gear Required for a Complete
Home Recording Include The Following Recommendations:
A digital Audio Workstation - DAWs:
LogicProX, Reaper, ProTools.
A digital audio interface:
We recommend the Scarlett digital audio interfaces from focusrite.
A recording, condenser microphone:
RODE Microphones: NT1, K2
Pearlman Microphones
See The Vocal Gear Store for more suggestions.
Headphones:
Extreme Isolation x-29s.
See The Vocal Gear Store for more suggestions.
A Reflextion Fliter:
SE Electronics Reflexion Filter Pro Ambience.
A Pop Filter:
See The Vocal Gear Store for more suggestions.

CVI vs TVS: Review of “The Four Pillars of Singing″
BY FELIX, ON APRIL 21ST, 2015
So I finally decided to buy “The Four Pillars of Singing″ by Robert Lunte (TVS, The Vocalist Studio). Some of his tutorials and lectures on YouTube caught my attention and after a few days of consideration (+200$ is a lot of money) I decided to give it a try. When I started my singing studies I had decided to look at as many different approaches as possible and learn as much as I can and Robert Luntes perspective is certainly interesting and he definitely knows what he is talking about. I will compare his training system to CVT (Complete Vocal Institute) because it seems to be aimed at the same target audience.
“The Four Pillars of Singing” is a comprehensive vocal training system that includes a book, over 350 videos, audio training content, detailed training routines, guide files and a robust learning management system that allows you to take a comprehensive course to study and master the TVS Method. It offers workouts starting in the key of C and G (to make it easier for women to use), training work flows and training routines for over 64 workouts, guide files that help you learn how to perform the workouts quickly and a very useful interface that organizes this massive amount of content. A user interface like this, is not available in any other program.. Robert advertises it as being the system with "the most content in the history of mankind". That is not only marketing but certainly a fact. But what does it mean? There is a lot of data in here, that’s for sure.
The content of the book is similar to what CVT teaches. Especially the TVS method for organizing the vowels of singing into what they call, "Acoustic Modes". But unlike the CVT vocal modes, the TVS Acoustic Modes have stripped out a lot of additional levels of complexity, focusing only on where the singing vowels resonate in the voice and their respective sound colors. It is a very effective and intuitive way to learn about the acoustics of singing.
In addition to ideas from TVS such as training work flows (teaching students to train with "step by step" instructions), specialized onsets and vowel modification formulas, "Pillars" also offers "physical modes" which are essentially very similar to the EVTS voice qualities or Estill modes. If your looking for CVI and Estill concepts as well as the unique TVS techniques, you can only find it in The Four Pillars of Singing. The focus is on all styles of singing.
The 616 page book includes descriptions and illustrations of all the important components for singing; physiology, acoustics and mental imagery. The product is very comprehensive and a lot of work has clearly been put into it. With CVT, you only get a book and some sound samples and that leaves the less skilled voice student lacking for guidance and instruction on how to train and practice. One of the strongest aspects of The Four Pillars of Singing very well may be, that it seems to not miss the important point that students of singing technique programs have to have the content and guidance that no only teaches them the method and techniques, but also teaches them how to apply the techniques with training and practice routines. The sound samples with CVT are helpful, but the value is far below what you get with The Four Pillars of Singing.
Then there is Robert. He sure is an interesting voice coach, he sounds very credible and his way of teaching is captivating. In a real-life coaching situation, that might be great and it certainly is important if you want to reach your full potential as a singer quickly.
What is better, CVT or TVS? Should I buy Complete Vocal Technique or The Four Pillars of Singing?... or BOTH?
It is important to point out that both systems are actually compatible together, but if you had to make a choice, given that "Pillars" already includes the main CVT premise, vocal modes oriented around singing vowels, then The Four Pillars of Singing is the way to go, given that they cover that topic with the "TVS Acoustic Modes". If you are a person who needs or learns faster with video tutorials and audio files to listen to in the care and practice with, then "Pillars" might be the better choice for you.
Learn more about "The Four Pillars of Singing".
Read reviews on Amazon.com. CLICK HERE FOR AMAZON.COM REVIEWS >>>

Ever wanted to add some sparkle to your mic cable?
Item: Neutrik crystalCON, Decorative Mic Cable Connectors
Price: $18 (US), £15 (UK) (per connector)
Mic Rating: 4/5
At A Glance: Neutrik’s crystalCON range consist of XLR (mic) connectors that are decorated with Swarovski crystals to add some sparkle to your mic cable. They have a tough black metal housing and gold plated contacts to ensure you get a great quality connection to your microphone that will withstand years of use. The connectors also support Neutrik’s colored coding rings that allow you to add a further degree of customisation so that your mic lead doesn’t get mixed up with your band mates if you all have similar looking cables.
High Notes: The are available in both male (NC3MXX-B-CRYSTAL) and female (NC3FXX-B-CRYSTAL) XLR connection formats – so you could just solder one to the end of your mic cable that is on display if you wanted to and not have to buy both connectors. The CRYSTALLIZEDTM, Swarovski Elements stand out nicely against the Black chromium chassis and the color ring can be changed without unsoldering insert.
Off Pitch: Adding crystals to your mic cable won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Also, there are very few ready-made cables available that use the connectors – so you may need to solder your own.
VoiceCouncil Reviewer Says: Love them or hate them, Neutrik’s crystalCON connectors offer something a bit different from your usual mic cable connectors. They are built to an excellent quality and if your stage look involves a lot of sparkles, then these could be the perfect to addition to your setup. It is a shame that there are very few ready-made cables available that feature these connections, as I’m sure many singers are not that confident using a soldering iron (however, it’s not as difficult as you might think and can be a useful skill to learn). If you also play guitar or keyboards while you sing, Neutrik also produce a ¼ jack lead version of the connector if you want it to match your mic lead.
Manufacturer’s Website: Neutrik
Other Reviews: We could not find any other reviews at the time of publishing.

David Hilderman reveals what matters most when you’re choosing PA speakers for a small or medium sized venue.
There’s a lot of advertizing hype about speakers – especially in relation to “watts” – but what are the specs that really matter?
David Hilderman, Chief Operating Officer at TC-Helicon, explains what may work best for singers & musicians in small and mid-sized venues.
David Hilderman is the Chief Operating Officer of TC-Helicon Vocal Technologies in Victoria, BC Canada where he lives with his wife and two teenage children. He is engaged in hardware design, strategic planning and product development.Visit TC-Helicon

INTRODUCTING: The Electro-Voice N/D767a Dynamic Mic A vocal microphone is a very personal item. It's the key element you have for showcasing your work and talent. It can also be the difference between an outstanding performance or blowing your voice out halfway through the set. Admittedly a competent sound engineer can do a fair amount to remedy vocal issues in a live environment but the best way to to ensure a great sound is actually in your control at the head of the signal chain - YOUR mic. When I first heard about the EV N/D767a I'll admit that a vocal microphone costing $100 and marketing itself as a "premium" mic triggered my skepticism considering some of the notable competition including the industry standard Shure Beta58a and Audix OM5 (both dynamic mics) are nearly $60 more. Did I mention the EV came out nearly 10 years ago? So how good could this mic really be? Electro-Voice N/D767a Dynam ic Mic: Design And Useability In the box the Electro-Voice 767a comes with the usual compliment of padded zipper bag, clip and spec sheet. Nothing out of the ordinary here. It comes dressed for the party all-businesslike in the standard EV black with gold bumper strip around the windscreen - not exactly sexy but fit and finish is excellent. EV uses a rubber sleeve on the body of the mic that they like to call WarmGrip that not only feels better and grippier compared to more standard painted metal bodies but likely contributes to reduced handling noise. And yes for those of you with perpetually cold hands it does in fact feel warmer than a metal body. One thing that EV has done with this microphone that I appreciate is how nicely balanced it feels in-hand with the fatter than most grip on the body. Some mics have a tendency to feel a bit top-heavy at the windscreen which over the course of a set or rehearsal can start to feel fatiguing. Electro-Voice N/D767a Dynamic Mic: Specifications The EV N/D767a is classified as a supercardioid dynamic which in lamens terms means it should be excellent at rejecting input anywhere but directly in front of the mic as well as being able to be subjected to very high gain levels before feedback-something of critical importance in a live situation. While specs don't tell the entire story it's notable to point out the 767 touts a close-up frequency range of 35hz-22,000hz which, on paper, looks rather impressive compared to some of the other offerings out there. I should note however that its hard to say whether that additional frequency response is actually usable considering a pretty steep roll-off after a +12-13db bump around 12khz. I suspect some of this to be what amounts to clever marketing in the specs department. Finally unscrewing the top half of the windscreen reveals what is a HUGE diaphragm and likely what helps give the EV its big meat and potatoes sound. Electro-Voice N/D767a Dynamic Mic: Sound Characteristics I would consider my voice to fall into the tenor category with a significant amount of ring [read: overtones] but not really much to spare in the low end category. The biggest issue I run across with other vocal mics is lack of low-end cut. At best this results in a thin sound that ends up getting lost in the mix and at worst it borders on shrill. By the time I've managed to get the gain to an acceptable level to hear myself we're already deep into the feed back zone. This is where the EV really shines. Using what they refer to as VOB i.e. Vocal Optimized Bass which is likely a combination of the aforementioned big diaphragm plus some clever electronics the EV provides an excellent amount of low end grunt. I find this to be especially useful in more sensitive passages where I'm using lower parts of my range while singing right up on the windscreen. This is typically where in a live situation my vocals would dissapear for lack of gain before feedback with other vocal mics. For those of us who like to use the proximity effect to get the most out of a scream here or there in our work the EV accomodates this nicely as well. I found the 767 to be excellent at rejecting feedback when half-covering the windscreen during a screaming passage. Occasionally I have found the 767 to borderline on bein g a bit boomy in the mids depending on the PA and vocal effects but this can usually be corrected via EQ. Another excellent trait of this mic is clarity. I went through a phase of about a year where I was sick of dealing with cables so I had put away my 767 and was instead using my wireless Shure Beta87A condenser. As luck would have it at a recent rehearsal my battery ran down and I didn't have a replacement so I pulled out the EV. We ran through a song with the EV and immediately afterwards my bandmates commented on how much better they could hear every word I was singing. As we finished out the set I was reminded to just how sensitive this mic is at capturing the little vocal nuances that tend to otherwise get lost in the mix. I was actually able to adjust the gain on the PA down slightly and still have the vocals sit comfortably in the live mix. WRAP-UP The Electro-Voice N/D767 is an all-around good if not excellent live performer. It's smooth character, excellent dynamics and and high gain before feedback make it a winner in my book and at $100 you would be hard-pressed to find a better value. Generally speaking this mic would be a great fit for most female performers as well as baritone and tenor range male singers. For very husky sounding female and bass male voices I highly recommend trying before you buy due to its tendency to slightly exaggerate the lower range. EV N/D767a Product Page What's your take on the EV N/D767a? Feel free to send any comments and or suggestions to me directly at travis@travisnorth.net. Review by Travis North *This product review is a courtesy of The Modern Vocalist World and is endorsed by The Vocalist Studio International.